White House, college presidents and activists call for fast action on immigration reform

White House Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz answered questions – some of them tough – on the current state of immigration policies, as well as the prospect of reform in the next few months. “We have an extraordinary sense of urgency at the White House,” assured Muñoz, who is the Administration’s top Latina and who has worked on immigration reform throughout her career.

As part of a White House “fireside chat,” Muñoz answered questions from a small group of immigration reform advocates. “Dreamer” Cristina Jimenez, Managing Director of United We Dream, questioned why, as the Obama administration pursue immigration reform, there is still “an extremely aggressive deportation strategy – which is tearing families apart.” José Antonio Vargas, an undocumented journalist and creator of the Define American campaign, asked why undocumented immigrants considered “low priority” cases were still being deported as part of the record 1.5 million deportations under the Administration.

Muñoz said that while the Department of Homeland Security has been shifting its infrastructure away from low priority cases, “the government’s job is to do what Congress tells them to do – Congress requires us to remove people who are removable, and gives DHS a lot of resources to do that job,” she said. This seemed to be a clear reference to a Migration Policy Institute study, brought up by Jimenez, that found that the government spends more on federal immigration enforcement than all other federal criminal law enforcement agencies combined, to the tune of $187 billion since 1986.

“The President is absolutely aware that one of the terrible costs of the system is that families get separated,” said Muñoz. Progressive evangelical leader Jim Wallis asked whether there could be a stop to deportations while legislation was being pursued. “At the end of the day, the solution to the issue of deportation is to have legislation that works and is sensible,” said Muñoz.

Voto Latino co-chair and actress America Ferrera asked Muñoz how Latinos who support immigration reform can get involved. Muñoz said the reason there is momentum in Washington is because “the community did that – people did that.”

Regarding a timeline for reform, the White House Director said “we don’t need another 10 months of sausage making.” Muñoz said, adding it was important to “lock down legislative language quickly” to see a bill in the spring.

The issue of locking down legislative language, however, is not as simple. Raul Labrador, a Latino Republican congressman from Idaho, said to the Associated Press that the issue of how to legalize the nation’s 11 million undocumented Latinos is not that easy. “In the House you’re going to have a hard time finding Republicans who can support a pathway to citizenship,” Labrador said.

And as legislators maneuver and debate in Congress, a group of Florida university presidents advocated today for comprehensive immigration reform to retain foreign students who come here to study and then have to leave, as well as to be able to educate the nation’s Dreamers.

“It breaks my heart to see people – extremely bright, valedictorians – being treated as foreign students,” said Eduardo Padrón, president of Miami Dade College, referring to “Dreamers” who are not eligible for in-state tuition, but according to Padrón pay 4 times the amount of tuition as out-of-state students.

“The whole idea is to be able to provide the opportunity for all students to get an education, so they can be contributors to society,” said Padrón.

While those who advocate for reform – both inside and outside the White House – want a quick timeline, the reality is sometimes much different, like political scientist and NBC Latino contributor Victoria DeFrancesco Soto states. “By design Congress is a slow-moving vehicle,” DeFrancesco soto explains. “As such, comprehensive immigration reform faces a built-in institutional speed bump.”

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I do not believe that President Obama thinks that our present immigration needs REFORM..What reforms? We as a nation have the most fair, and honest, financially productive immigration Policy in the world. Amnesty is not legal immigration Policy..it is blatant Politics! President Reagan endeavored to bring 3 million illegal aliens into the Republican Party in 1986 and he failed miserably...Do we want 11 million new Democrat voters, I think NOT!
We are not a nation of FOOLS! We have the most successful economy the world and we are a loving country.
Do we need the gang of 8 to decide if 11 million illegal aliens need a passage to Citizenship, how about 380 million.
legal Americans, do they get to choose? Why doesn't President Obama provide assistance and aid the Mexican.
economy and provide the democratic resources to their economy and stop using our Country as their ATM. We
have 20 million unemployed legal Americans, what they supposed to do? Immigrate to Mexico! Mr. President when
you go around the US Congress and violate our Constitution, you have lost our confidence and support.The four.
steps proposed by a low level Mexican Staffer( Munoz), demonstrates the low level importance of the Obama Administration. If the President wants to lobby for this Ridiculous Plan then show your face! Mr. President be fair,
be honest! George Rodriguez Espada, Espada Media Productions, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia.